Water Law Reforms in Central Asian Countries: Recent Trends and Developments

Sound policies and enforceable water legislation are key to transforming water management under the increasing water demand and climate change. In recent years, diverse water regulatory frameworks have evolved in the Central Asian countries to regulate the management and development of water resources and the provision of water services. This paper provides an overview of the Central Asian countries’ water legislation with focus on water management institutions at national, basin and local levels, introduction of economic mechanisms in water use and management as well as provisions related to human right to water and the environmental protection. Based on the resultant insights, the paper identifies five recent trends and areas for further improvement, including the need to (1) strengthen water regulatory frameworks as a part and parcel of the overall political and economic transformations in the countries; (2) reform water institutions with a clear focus on the sector performance and foster coordination between different stakeholders; (3) enable context-specific arrangements for workable basin and local water management; (4) address the issues of human and environmental needs on water, which are becoming increasingly important under the impact of climate change, industrialization, and urbanization; and (5) expand the effectiveness of economic mechanisms in water use and regulation to ensure cost recovery and investment flow into the sector.